A Trojan Promotion

We are extremely pleased to announce that longtime USC athletic department coordinator Donna Heinel, who has been actively involved in coordinating the admissions process for incoming Trojan student-athletes, has assumed the department's senior woman administrator role.

The SWA designation, developed by the NCAA for all institutions, is intended "to encourage and promote the involvement of female administrators in the decision making process in intercollegiate athletics."

Heinel (pictured right), who was not only a former collegiate swimmer but a UMass swimming and women's water polo coach, was very humbled and honored when she heard news that she would be taking over the position from her predecessor Carol Dougherty.

"I am extremely excited for the opportunity Pat Haden, Max Nikias and USC has really bestowed upon me. Along with the position I feel comes a great sense of responsibility, and I don't take that lightly. We are pushing through some challenging times right now, but I think just like a person or entity, our department is going through a stage right now full of life lessons and resiliency.

"I think over the next few years under the tutelage of Pat and a great senior administrative team of Steve Lopes, Mark Jackson, myself, Magdi El Shahawy, J.K McKay, Don Winston and Ron Orr, we will get through this. And everyone around the nation will see the power of the Trojan Spirit."

While Heinel has been given the SWA designation, she will still be overseeing the day-to-day operations of the director of admissions and eligibility. She hopes that with her new position she can promote USC as a thought leader and enhance the image of the department both to the Pac-12 and the NCAA.